Bad Dream
by a.kingsly
Summary: Loki stood not far away from him smiling like an old friend. 'It's impossible', he murmured trying to stay cold. 'I missed you too, Erik', answered Loki coming closer to him.
1. Chapter 1

Bad dream

Part 1. Be careful

Erik was writing a formula on the desk in his office. He was totally merged in his work without noticing anything around him.

'We need to solve a couple of equations, and then we'll come closer to singularity description, Jane. You'll see! We're on the right way…'

His pupil was quiet and just continued to sit at the table. She seemed to be nervous.

'What's up, Jane? Have I made a mistake?' he asked paying attention to the noise. Without glancing at her, Erik started to verify the formula.

'Oh, no. Everything's just fine. Actually…'

Their glances met. Jane looked… guilty. Erik felt anxious.

Jane made a deep breath. There was no sense to hide anything.

'Well, I know it's a very important moment and I promised to stay with you today', she smiled. It was too hard for her to keep her place, so Jane got up. 'But I need to go out because of one serious business…'

'What happened?'

'… We have heard about meteoritic rain not far away from here and…'

The next moment Thor entered the room. He was completely ready for a picnic taking a rucksack on his shoulders. The rucksack was choked up with different stuff and was almost ready to come apart at the seams, but still seemed to be too tiny for Thunder God.

'Are you coming, Jane?'

She took a sign and scowled.

'I didn't have time to tell him yet…'

'Have you told him we are leaving?' asked he at the same time.

Erik laughed.

'You both even speak at the same time. I like it! It's a good sign. Go away, have some fun', he answered to Jane and Thor. 'Let's go to watch a meteoric rain…or whatever you call it'.

He expected Jane to leave the room when felt her arm on his shoulder.

'Are you angry with me?'

She really cared about him and tried to be serious. Anyway, Erik saw her eyes: they were shining.

' Let's go. Don't worry. You're all right, aren't you?' he recollected suddenly and asked his question. Then Erik realized he could have asked it earlier. An Hour ago. In the morning. At the time when Thor came back from Asgard…

Jane didn't notice anything and was really happy to hear such kind of question.

'Yes, of course. We spend a lot of time together and even learn something new everyday', she admitted. 'We even started a new cooking course! We're going to make a duck with oranges. Can you imagine that?'

Imagine Thunder God standing at the kitchen? Why not.

Thor lost his patience somewhere near the front door.

'Jane, I'm waiting! For Odin's sake…'

'I should go', constrained she. Jane went to the door. 'Have a good time!'

'You too!'

Despite this Jane came back and appeared on the threshold again. She seemed to be worried now.

'If you feel sick or anything bad happens, just phone us, and…'

'I'll be fine'.

She was taken aback catching his glance.

'Take care of yourself, right?'

'Just go', he waved for goodbye.

Their care was too onerous sometimes. Coming back to his calculations, Erik felt better. The work in silence carried him away. When he couldn't stay at the board anymore, Erik continued to write formulas in the notebook. He derived some new equations forgetting about any time. It was midnight, but doctor Selvig still worked in a house which became so empty without Jane, Thor, Darcy and Ian.

At some point he felt tiredness. Erik leaned back in his chair rubbing his temples.

'A bit more time and I can come closer to singularity… Just another try…' he thought.

'An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. Take a rest, Erik. You can't find a solution now'.

He turned left and was terrified. The half of the room vanished turning into a huge room. It seemed endless like a numerous mirror reflections.

He recognized this voice. He couldn't be wrong. Or could?

Loki stood not far away from him smiling like an old friend. Erik felt quiver. He wanted to close his eyes and hide from Loki's invasion to his mind.

'It's impossible', he murmured trying to stay cold.

'I missed you too, Erik', answered Loki coming closer to him.

Erik realized Loki was standing in a huge hall which shined with gold.


	2. Chapter 2

Bad Dream. Part 2. Conversation

'You're supposed to be dead. Thor said you are not among alive…'

'And he was right. Where else can I be? I'm in another world… there need be no doubt that'.

Loki laughed. His laugh stayed as cold as at the times of New York.

'How can I check you are dead?' Erik continued to examine Thor's brother very carefully. Everything seemed to be too real.

'Oh, I like your passion for any research! You go on being a scientist even inside of your dreams. Bravo, Erik!'

'Don't try to skate round the question, I know you well'.

Loki rolled up his eyes.

'I died somewhere far away from this universe. Thor and Jane Foster were the witnesses of it. My death is final. Everybody knows that. Do you really believe Jane and Thor could lie to you?'

Erik frowned. He noticed the charge tones in Loki's voice. Selvig felt guilty he could blame Jane. His look became hazy.

'No, but…'

'Or maybe you, the famous scientist, believe in the afterlife world, don't you? I thought better of you, Erik!

Selvig was desperate. He shrunk in his chair trying to go away from the accusations.

'Of course, not. No, I… It's all just rubbish'.

'That's much better'.

Loki calmed down. Erik felt that the pressure on him was fading. Unfortunately, another bad feeling replaced it. Fear was coming back every new second.

'I didn't expect to see you in my sleep. What a weird dream', the scientist tried to smile but it looked stiff.

'Yes, you're right', Loki was looking around. 'I also see you're not happy to meet me', the God of perfidy was offended. 'Where is your gratitude?'

'Gratitude? I almost went out of my mind because of you, bastard…' Erik split out these words. Anger replaced fear.

'Don't be so rough', Loki made a few steps away, but the space around remained the same. 'You might have forgotten about that priceless favor I rendered you'.

'What kind of favor?' Erik asked. '_Could he have really entered to my head again?_' he thought.

Loki smiled. Selvig feared he heard all of his thoughts.

'New York. I expanded your mind, remember?'

Erik hemmed. Loki's smile became more poisonous.

'I think that somewhere inside you still feel sorry for having chosen the Avengers' side. Thanks to me your knowledge became deeper than after years of researches. If you made a right choice, this', Loki pointed on the board with calculations, 'could be no more that a page in a children's book'.

These words affected Erik in a very strange way. His blood started running heavier. It was hard to breath. Yeah, he was really afraid. Afraid to admit he missed the old possibilities.

Anyway, there was a sense in Loki's words. Still…

'I won't let you use me again'.

The haze in his head disappeared. Erik started to feel better and draw himself up in his chair. Noticing the difference, Loki's face changed. He was completely flexed out of shape. Loki started to measure the golden room by pacing, throwing the scepter to the other hand. Erik looked attentively at this subject and breezed freely when he didn't found a blue stone on it.

Then Loki stood still. His face deleted all the anger. The next second Erik could read nothing but indifference.

'Of course, you won't', Loki said. 'But you still feel sorry. Great possibilities. Lost possibilities. You could be so useful for me then, and now you're of no use', he thought about something. 'Except...' Loki screwed up his eyes. 'How is my brother's life going on?'

This question deranged Erik. All his courage seemed to be unreal.

'Well', he started, 'everything's fine with him. He is a good man', Erik smiled. Loki wrinkled his nose. Seeing this, Erik immediately stopped smiling. The intuition was telling him that he shouldn't angry the God of the trickery. 'Cooking lessons are fine'.

Loki stared at him in a surprise. Selvig turned red. Why does he actually need mention this?!

'Anyway', Erik tried to find the right words, 'everything's fine in Thor and Jane's life'.

'Really? Pleased to hear that!'

'Yeah', nodded Erik. He decided to please Loki as well and became serious immediately. He lost the moment when his thoughts started to confuse. Pain in his temple was growing. The same feeling with previous time in…

'Where did they go? I can't see them in a house'.

'Meteoric rain…'

'And Thor loves this stuff! Nonsense! He can't be so much in love with her'.

'Well…'

'Or can?'

'I don't know'.

'He became so blind that can't see anything around him, right?' Loki continued talking in a pretended tone. 'Is he doing nothing and just simply staying beside his beloved Jane?'

'Well, he spends a lot of time with the Avengers, still…'

After saying this, Erik shut up his mouth. He couldn't realize when he managed to say it. Why did he do that? He promised Thor to stay quiet about this stuff.

'None a word, Erik', warned Thor sitting opposite to him in the kitchen. 'No one should know about my business. It can be dangerous and bring a trouble on all of us'.

'Mute as a fish', promised Erik eating an omelette which was the subject on the second cooking course. 'I'm almost mad, I can't bring any trouble'.

Loki made another laugh. Erik glanced at Loki with a horror. Could he have started to spy on him again?

'What are you doing?' Erik's voice revealed all his fears.

Loki seemed not to notice the question. Erik became flabby in a chair again.

'Thor might have not been so busy, I suppose. What can he do on your Earth? There is no serious trouble without me', Loki's eyes were shining. 'He must be truly desperate for any adventure'.

'You are not right', Erik answered. 'The Avengers caught one of the biggest Gydra agent few weeks ago and…'

'That's all? It can't se so serious. It's impossible to gather all the Avengers for this!'

'But it is! Even Bruce Banner went out of the shadow and became one of the strongest allies of Tony Stark, and…'

Then Erik remembered he promised not to speak about it too. He frowned and glanced at the God of the trickery.

'Be careful', he whispered to himself.

'So, are the Avengers strong and united as never before?'


	3. Chapter 3

Bad dream

'Why are you so interested in it?'

Loki was trying to look calm.

'Nothing special', he shrugged his shoulders. 'The events in New York appeared to be a bit complicated. Especially my conversation with Hulk'.

'Yeah, he really blew you up that day', Erik laughed but stopped because of Loki's menacing glance. 'Well, may be, it hurts you to remember it'.

'It's not the word! But…what about Thor? Is he mourning over me? It would be so sad to hear he is forgotten about his brother'.

'No, no! You shouldn't worry about that. Thor made us celebrate a memory day in your honour'. Green eyes looked at Erik. 'He insisted on organizing it'. Another look. 'We all decided to commemorate you. I participated too'.

Erik's headache was only escalating.

'Nice to hear that! But does he want to come back to Asgard? What about Allfather?'

'I don't think Thor would come back. He's happy now. Everything's fine with him. Odin let him go, so why does he… Why did you ask?'

'Just curious. He hasn't got any suspicion, has he?'

'He seems not. Life is going on. He's got a job and a new life, and…'

Erik continued his speech. Loki wasn't listening. The God of the trickery started to size the hall by feet, excited.

'Fine. Perfect. He hasn't even guessed. Thor and his friends are too busy and won't be able to react fast at the time of the danger', Loki murmured. Erik cocked his ears. 'This idiot is too happy to notice any simple detail… Such a good chance… I still have time for…'

'For what?' Eric asked. 'What are you taking about?'

Loki froze and just stared at Erik truing to understand how much he is just said. He gradually raised his scepter and turned it to Selvig. The scientist strained himself and squeezed chair's handles.

'Are you going to murder me?' he asked. His voice broke.

Continuing to stare at Selvig, Loki drew himself up and sank the scepter. He changed his mind.

'Of course, not', he came closer. Now Erik could watch the throne room if he stopped staring at the scepter.

'It's only a dream, remember?'

'Yes, I do. But I don't expect to be dead in my dreams very often, you know'.

'Do you believe I can be so cruel?'

Erik laughed.

'You're dangerous even in my dream, I suppose. But… are you still dead? Unfortunately, I don't remember the Scandinavian myths very well. I don't know what happens when somebody dies, and…'

Loki's face became cold. He stared somewhere at the distance. Loki's features were strict which made him look elder.

'When person dies he comes to the other world. It's a place you can't live. You can never go away and no one can help you to be free. Trust me, it's true. I know, I...'

He stopped short and changed the subject of the conversation immediately.

'… I know what life's bringing to you, Erik'.

Erik was amazed how Thor could grow up with this trickster. How everyone could ever trust him?

'So what is then?'

Loki added a malicious smile to the smugness.

'You will wake up'. Loki looked into Erik's eyes, and his headache reached its peak.

'My head is burning!' he complained.

'I was glad to see you, Erik. You were very helpful today and can't even imagine how useful you were for me'.

'I hope it was our last meeting!' now Erik was honest.

'Who knows? I would not recommend you to look so far. Good night, Eric. Perhaps, it's not so important now…'

'Eric, get up!'

'What?' shocked, Eric rose.

Darcy and Ian stood opposite to him.

'We thought you'd run away again', the guy started to explain.

'And then found all your clothes on you and investigated you are fine. Breakdown is over!'

'You went asleep in your office… again'.

Erik looked left. Mirror-like golden room vanished. The office remained the same.

'I feel a huge headache', Selvig complained.

'Of course, you do. You shouldn't have slept on your glasses and scientific devices! They squeezed your brain!' Darcy took his glasses from the table and hid the case. Selvig slept keeping his cheek on this stuff.

'Actually, Thor and Jane are waiting for us. Thor cooked us some breakfast. Let's try his new achievement!'

They were eating in silence. Eric was chewing French toasts still trying to go away from his dream. True or false? He didn't know the answer. Everything was so real. He was even scared of Loki's appearing!

Erik rubbed his temples.

'Are you okay?' Jane asked.

'Yes, yes', he remained being embarrassed.

Is it a true or a nightmare? There is an only one way to know that.

'Thor', Selvig broke the silence, 'I've got a very serious question for you. Very, very urgent'.

'Urgent question at eight o'clock? Curious. What does interest you, my friend?'

Eric was in the center of everyone's attention.

'Do you believe in afterlife?'

'I have to admit the glasses and transmitters have really squeezed his brain', Ian whispered to Darcy.

Thor frowned but answered after finishing with a toast.

'Actually we think that the person can't die completely. He appears in the other world. But to die and to go into the nothing is impossible. I believe that the souls of Mum and Loki are not far from me. They are still alive in some sense and can influence us everyday'.

'Can they go back if they want?'

'I don't think so. But I suppose Loki could cheat everyone, even the death!' Thor smiled. 'He was a real trickster, you know. If you dare say too much he can easily turn everything upside down. It's so weird that you've asked.'

Eric paled. His hand with a mug was twitched, and Selvig spilled it on his pants.

'What happened? Do you feel sick? Are you okay?' Jane sat closer to him and took his hand.

'Everything's fine', Erik made a noisy swallow. 'Just a bad dream. Don't mention it'.

He was sitting quietly, hoping he didn't say Loki too much.

The God of the trickery was in the throne hall watching everything through Erik's eyes. There was a deep laugh heard in the room.

'It was fun. Perhaps, I should be on a visit frequently.'


End file.
